Escape the Night: What if
by HuffleFlerkin
Summary: What if Matt survived the Strong Man's challenge? Who would he vote to go into the Maiden of Madness? How would his vote change the result?


**Hello! So, I know Escape the Night isn't very big on here, but I've had this idea in my head for a while and I need to get it down. Everyone is probably out of character.**

**Matt**

I bit my lip. Staring at the cards in front of me, I racked my brains- deciding who I should vote to go into the Maiden of Madness.

_This is sick._ I thought, _Making us murder one of out own._

Not Ro. There is no way I am voting my sister from another mister into this.

Nor Joey. I may of had my doubts about him, but with escaping the Strong Man's fist- and with that death- I've realised we have to trust who we can.

Colleen? The others are for sure going to vote for her. But I can't. I can't have another death on my conscience.

What about Safiya? No. She's smart and resourceful, she might be able to help us survive this place. Plus, she's my friend.

_Who's left? _Nikita. She and I aren't the best of friends. I don't like her, but I don't dislike her. Is that enough reason to send someone to their death?

No. It's not.

Then there's only one person left. I stared at the Detective card, apprehensively. I steeled myself, took a deep breath and picked up the card. As I gave it to Calliope, I saw her eyebrows raise but she gave no comment.

Stepping to the side so the others could vote, I felt a small tug on my arm. I looked down to see Ro standing there.

"Can I talk to you?" she whispered, glancing around to check no one heard her.

I nodded, frowning in confusion. Ro was the first to vote, so couldn't be asking me about who she wanted to choose. We stepped into a corner, away from the others and Ro looked my dead in the eyes,

"Matthew Patrick, what on Earth were you thinking?" she hissed fiercely.

Crap.

She saw my card.

Looking around to see if the others were paying any attention to us, I leaned down and whispered,

"Ro, I'll be fine."

"How do you know that?" she argued, "Matt, you can't die. You and Steph are expecting your first child. You barely escaped the last challenge with your life and you are one of our best teammates!"

I looked into Ro's eyes, realising at that moment how similar they were to Steph's. Not helping.

"I'm not having someone else die because of me."

Ro's eyes filled with tears, "Matt, JC's death wasn't your fault."

"It was!" I hissed, "I voted him in! I failed to complete the challenge! He's dead because of me!"

Ro blinked horror filled her gaze, "Colleen, if she dies it'll be my fault!"

She sniffed loudly, then flung her arms around me."I wish I was like you," she whispered, "I wish I was brave."

I pulled away from Ro and looked her dead in the eyes,

"You are brave," I told her, "You came up with the idea to distract the clowns, you completed the Man with No Name's challenge, you have stayed strong this entire night. This place changes us- our actions here don't shape who we are!"

Ro smiled and opened her mouth to speak but was cut short as Calliope called us over.

As we gathered around the Maiden of Madness, I saw that Colleen's pile was nearly empty and my heart clenched in sympathy.

"The person going into the Maiden of Madness is.." Calliope said serenely.

My heart was pounding like a beat of a drum. One of those cards is my card- the Detective. Suddenly, my decision to vote for myself wasn't such a good idea.

Ro squeezed my hand- perhaps sensing my discomfort. I squeezed it back.

Calliope revealed the card.

"The Jetsetter."

No.

I stared at Calliope in horror- not processing what I was hearing.

Not Ro. I can't be Ro. It _can't _be Ro.

The others were exclaiming in shock. except Colleen, who had dropped her head into her hands in relief.

"NO!" I yelled.

I shoved Ro behind me and stood in front of her, my arms outstretched. An urge to protect washed over me- there were not taking my sister away from me.

Nikita stepped forward, "Matt," she began, but I cut across her,

"NO! You can't!"

They can't. This is Ro. Kind, sweet Ro. Ro, who would never her a fly. Ro would cried with guilt when she sent Nikita into the challenge. She can't die!

The others were staring at me in pity. _I must look mad._ The thought crossed my mind. Arms outstretched, eyes pleading.

"Matt." a small hand was gripping my arm. Ro was looking up at me, a small smile on her face and tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Matt," she repeated, "It's okay." she sniffed, "Let me be brave."

I stared at my best friend, not taking in what she was saying.

Ro smiled at me and whispered so only I could hear her, "It's better me than you."

Then, she stepped out from behind me and towards the spiked box.

I snapped out of my stupor.

"RO!" I lunged forward, reaching for her but Joey and Colleen grabbed my arms and held me back.

"Let go of me!" I yelled and struggled to free myself from the others grip.

Nikita and Safiya stepped up to the Maiden of Madness- Safiya had a single tear trickling down her face. Ro smiled at both of them sadly.

"RO! NO!" I screamed, "You can't! You can't go!"

She can't die! Ro is my sister- the Mabel to my Dipper! She can't leave me!

Ro looked at me- still her eyes too understanding- she could tell what I thought as clear as I had yelled it to the sky.

"It's okay Matt." she whispered, "You'll have Steph and, soon, your son."

Everyone else stared at me in confusion. Right, I forgot. They didn't know Steph was pregnant.

"need his Auntie Ro." I whispered. Ro let out a small sob- her composure breaking for the first time.

Turning around Ro stepped in the Maiden's clutches. "I love you, Matt," she said sadly, "Remember that." She looked around at everyone. "I don't blame whoever voted for me."

I yelled and thrashed even harder in an attempt to get free. Nikita and Safiya- who was now crying freely- closed the doors on the innocent Jetsetter. An ear-piercing scream emitted from the Maiden as it's razor-sharp spikes impaled Rosanna Panisno.

My scream mingled with her final one as Joey and Colleen released me and I threw myself at the Maiden's door. Safiya sunk to the ground her hands over her ears blocking out her friends screams of agony.

I tried to pull the doors open, but they wouldn't budge,

"RO!" I cried- now pounding on the door of the Maiden in desperation, "RO!"

I could sense the others behind me, watching me, as I collapsed to the floor in despair- still crying out my best friend's name.

"Sh...she's dead..." I choked out, "D...dead..."

What am I going to say to Mike?

I don't know how long I sat there, sobbing. I was vaguely aware of Joey and Nikita (I didn't expect that) spewing out apologies to me and Safiya, who was still crying on the floor next to me.

I only snapped out of my grief when Colleen spoke,

"I know we're all upset but we need to go," she said, her voice echoing around the room, "We only have a few more h-"

"You're kidding."

Colleen broke off and looked at me, nervously.

"You just murdered an innocent person and you're not even sorry?!" I snapped slowly rising to my feet, anger coursing through my veins.

Joey stepped forward, "Matt, we don't know that she voted for Ro." he said cautiously- talking to me like I might turn around and bite him.

"We do though!" I retorted, "I certainly didn't and I know everyone else voted for for her!" I pointed at Colleen.

Fire was returning to Colleen's gaze and she looked at me defiantly,

"What would you have done?" she demanded, "Everyone voted for me, Matthew! Everyone! I had to choi-"

"Not everyone." I cut across her.

Colleen caught her breath and looked at me in confusion and perhaps a trace of fear, "What?" She whispered.

"I didn't vote for you," I said hoarsely, "I voted for myself."

Safiya stared at me in horror, "But... but Ro said you and your wife are... are expecting."

I blinked at her, "We are."

Joey looked horrified, "You could have left your child fatherless!" he exclaimed.

"I KNOW!" I burst out, shaking with rage and grief, "I know..."

The others looked at me uncertainly and Nikita went to pat me on the shoulder but seemed to think better of it and dropped her hand to her side. I'm not surprised, we haven't seen eye to eye since I beat Manny in the Strong Man challenge.

"I don't regret my decision," I broke the silence, "I just wish it didn't end in my sister's death."

No one questioned my wording.

I looked Colleen dead in the eyes, "I don't hate you," I told her and she relaxed, "But, we're not friends."

Colleen nodded stiffly not meeting my gaze.

"Come on, bitches," Nikita took centre stage, "Lets get the hell out of here,"

As we were leaving, I noticed something yellow on the floor.

Ro's beret.

Stifling a sob, I picked it up left the room.

Leaving Ro's body behind me.

_For Ro._


End file.
